Tales of Durin
by Aranel Mereneth
Summary: Random series of one-shots exploring the lives of the Line of Durin. Mostly focussing on Thorin, Dis, Kili and Fili (plus relatable OFC's and mini baby Durins). Lots of fluff, family feels and a tiny hint of Botfa denial. (Formerly called Tales of the Line of Durin).
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: Hey guys! Long time no see :P I've been meaning to write a Hobbit centred story for quite some time now, and I've finally gotten around to it! Yayyyy! Prepare for lots of dwarf Durin family feels and Uncle Thorin being all fluffy (because I'm forever in denial about BOTFA… nope not ready for December at all). _

_I'm not entirely sure about how many chapters this will be… it's mainly just a series of random one-shots focussing mostly on Fili, Kili, Dis and Thorin. I've also borrowed the name Vili (as Fili and Kili's father)._

_Please remember to drop in a quick review at the end; it would be highly appreciated :)_

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**Thorin Nose-nshield**

Thorin Oakenshield pulled his fur coat tighter around his shoulders, attempting to shield himself from the small snowflakes gradually floating down, littering the ground with silver specks. The exiled dwarf king sniffed and spying his sister's abode ahead, increased the pace of his strides. His fingers reached into the pocket of his trousers and he fumbled with the keys inside, a light jingling sound reaching his ears as he removed them from his pocket and inserted them into the keyhole. The old wooden door creaked open noisily, announcing his arrival. The dwarf had barely made it two steps into the house before the pitter-patter of tiny feet sounded down the hallway.

"Uncle Thorin, you're back!" a young voice cried. Thorin shrugged off his furs and with a grin and a playful growl, grabbed the seven year old dwarfling and swung him around up into his arms. The child laughed gleefully and beamed down at his uncle's face, wiping a spot of snow from his nose.

"I missed you Uncle," the boy stated solemnly.

Thorin smiled gently and ran his right hand over his eldest nephew's blonde locks. "As did I, my lad," his voice rumbled quietly in response as he tilted his forehead forward to tap against his nephew's.

Walking further into the house with Fili in his arms, Thorin entered the lounge room to find the remainder of his family huddled on a plush sofa in front of the fireplace. The room was simply furnished yet still exuded an air of comfort. The line of Durin had struggled much since the fall of Erebor, however years of hard labour, cold winters, partially empty stomachs and sleepless nights had finally paid off, allowing the new generation of dwarflings to begin their lives without experiencing the extreme struggles of the older exiled dwarves of Erebor.

The king's sister glanced up and grinned at her brother. "Thorin!" she exclaimed, bouncing up from her seat, eyes bright with joy. "We did not expect you till next week! I am glad you have returned. I trust you achieved the purpose of your journey? Oh but come, you must be chilled to the bone and who knows how long you have gone without a decent meal! We all know both your and Dwalin's cooking skills to be frankly, horrendous. You should seriously consider learning so you do not accidentally poison yourself one day, brother. And - "

"Dis, the poor creature just got home not two minutes ago and you've already talked his ear off," the older blonde dwarrow laughed, rocking a small bundle in his arms. Vili, son of Mali, was a merry, handsome dwarf that had won both Thorin and Dis' respect and friendship upon their arrival at Ered Luin. Many spoke of Fili's strong resemblance to his father, but upon closer inspection, it was obvious that although Fili's hair colouring was a copy of his father Vili's, the dwarfling possessed the strong nose, blue eyes and personality of the house of Durin.

Dis huffed and rolled her eyes, cheeks flushing a light pink hue. Thorin chuckled and opened his arms, both siblings moving to warmly embrace each other. Dis buried her nose into Thorin's blue tunic as he placed a chaste kiss to the top of her long, dark hair. Dis usually kept it in a single braid flowing down her back, but tonight she had left it unbound, allowing the raven waves to tumble elegantly down her shoulders.

The siblings separated as a wail sounded from Vili's arms. Fili wriggled down from his Uncle's hold and scampered over to his father, peering down at the bundle and cooing softly. Dis made her way into the kitchen to begin dinner and Thorin lowered himself onto the sofa beside Vili. Vili grinned at his brother-in-law and carefully deposited the tiny bundle of blankets into Thorin's arms. Thorin smiled softly down at his youngest nephew, who in turn scrunched up his face, dark eyes squinting up at the large dwarf… and then promptly sneezed right on to his uncle's face.

Fili and Vili laughed madly as Thorin grimaced and wiped his face with the edge of his sleeve. He ran a large finger down the baby's soft, round cheek and tapped his button nose. "That was not very proper for a prince, little one," he reprimanded, his tone tinged with amusement. Kili bestowed his uncle with a toothless grin and reached his small, chubby arms up to grab hold of the tip of Thorin's nose.

Thorin sighed and rolled his eyes. "I will never understand the fascination you and your brother have about my nose," he addressed the baby resting in his large hands.

"It's because they're amazed at how a separate town could dwell in those ridiculously large nostrils of yours, my lord," Vili smirked. Thorin glared at his sister's husband as he heard Dis' laughter from the kitchen.

"I could have you severely punished for that," Thorin grumbled, "insulting your king in such a careless manner."

Vili tossed his head back and flicked his hand in dismissal. "I'd like to see you try, brother," the blonde dwarf replied nonchalantly, pulling Fili into his lap.

Thorin sighed and looked back down at Kili's face, running his fingertips tenderly over the soft tufts of dark hair sprouting from his youngest nephew's head. Unlike his brother, Kili had inherited the dark hair of his mother's side, yet his features and cheeky personality spoke entirely of his father. The babe cooed as he reached up once more, this time to tug, hard, on the ends of his uncle's hair. Thorin winced and began to sway Kili in his arms side to side, hoping to settle the active child. Eventually, Kili yawned and his eyes began to flutter close. He almost looked as if he was asleep…

Until the sound of gas being expelled multiple times sounded through the room, the smell wafting directly up into Thorin's nose.

The dwarf king blinked, expression blank as the entire house cackled with mirth, Kili smiling in content as he drifted off into slumber, cradled in his uncle's arms.

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_Not the most exciting chapter, I know. I hope it was an okay start though and I look forward to posting up more chapters as soon as I can :)_


	2. Chapter 2

**Flames**

Lake Town was burning.

The deafening roar of Smaug filled Kili's ears and he trembled in fear as they fled Bard's home, Fili leading at the head of the group, dodging the flames and running for the nearest boat. Kili looked back and spied Tauriel leading Bard's children to safety. The dwarf prince made a silent prayer that the precious young lives would be saved.

A hand grabbed his right shoulder, forcing him to come face to face with his golden-haired brother. Fili nodded once and gently, yet hurriedly pushed his younger brother into the small boat along with Oin and Bofur. Untying the rope from the dock, Fili grabbed the oars and rowed, beads of sweat running down his face and back. The crown prince led the small company away from the devastation occurring before them, glancing over his shoulder every once in a while to check that Kili was lying and resting his leg after the exertion of their escape.

After what seemed like an era, the boat finally reached the shores outside the slopes of Erebor. The four dwarves stared back at the destruction wreaking havoc on Lake Town, the flames burning high into the sky, screams echoing in their ears and the blood of innocent victims burning their eyes.

Kili rose to stand beside his older brother, clinging onto his forearm with desperation. In turn, Fili wrapped his arm around his younger sibling, pulling him close. They had almost died twice that night. Fili had almost lost the most precious thing in his life. Steadying his shaking hands, he inhaled deeply and smoothed a hand over Kili's dark hair, knotted with ash and water, yet still silky to the touch, and kissed the crown of his head as Kili buried his face into Fili's shioulder, still trembling. The flames rose higher into the night, the sky alight with colours of red and gold entwining between clouds of smoke. The brothers' grip on each other tightened.

Fili sighed. He had kept his promise to his mother, to himself, so far; he had kept Kili alive on their quest. He closed his eyes and pressed his nose into his brother's hair, heart aching with the thought that next time, he might not be able to keep his word.

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_A/N: First two chapters in a day! Slightly depressing with all the brotherly feels, I know. But I wanted to try and convey that despite being skilled fighters and encountering many dangers on the quest, Fili and Kili are still young, barely into adulthood according to dwarven years anyway. Please review?_


	3. Chapter 3

_Yes ummm… I'm back… after almost a year… __*hides* so sorry guys, life has been incredibly busy. Also, as much as I loved BOTFA, there were certain aspects about it that I was not comfortable with. I've only seen it once to date :( I needed time to think about the mixed feelings it gave me and had to take a bit of a break from all the obsessiveness I have about The Hobbit in general, but I am looking forward to seeing BOTFA again with a fresh perspective and also working on this little story :) _

_Some chapters will be light/fluffy, others may be quite dark/sad. Alas, that is the story of the Durins, regardless of how many AUs everybody lives/nobody dies that we may write, the pain is still there lol. _

_Anyway, I'm rambling. Here is the next chapter, this time the focus shifts away from Fili and Kili... :P enjoy!_

_Approx. ages from eldest-youngest: 18, 13, 5 (equivalent to human years)._

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**The Three Dwarf-keteers**

"Dis, no."

"Thorin, please?"

"Dis, no."

"Please Thorin, pleeeaaaaasseeee?"

"Dis, I said -"

"Just let her have it, brother," Frerin sighed, rolling his eyes at his older brother, a smirk on his face.

Thorin turned to glare sternly at his younger brother. "Amad told us to make sure she eats dinner on time and doesn't have any sweets. You know how hard it is to get her to sleep."

"Oh don't be such a spoil sport, Thorin," Frerin said, reaching over to ruffle his little sister's hair. The young princess grinned up at her smiling brother, the top of her head barely reaching his knee. She gently grasped Frerin's large hand and both siblings widened their eyes at their eldest brother.

"Besides," Frerin added, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, "Amad and Adad are in the Iron Hills right now. What they don't know won't hurt them."

Thorin sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose with his forefinger and thumb. It was already difficult enough to try and resist Dis' puppy-dog eyes. But with Frerin thrown into the mix, it was double the trouble, and Thorin knew he didn't stand a chance.

"Alright then…" Thorin was interrupted by cheers of glee, "but only ONE spoonful Dis, just _one._ Otherwise, you know you will not be able to fall asleep, then how will you wake on time to go riding with Dwalin tomorrow morn?"

Dis wrung the material of her skirt between her little fists, a frown and pout upon her face. Dwalin was big and strong, and lots of fun. Despite looking like he was made of stone, on the inside, Dwalin was as soft as a ball of fur, especially when it came to the Princess of Erebor. Thorin reached down to smooth his sister's furrowed brow and tenderly took her hand in his. A small smile appeared on Dis' face as she strengthened her grip on her brother's hand.

"Okay then, just one spoon," Dis agreed. "_But_ I still want a bedtime story!"

Thorin chuckled and easily lifted her into his arms. Dis snuggled into his chest and wrapped a fist around one of Thorin's braids, toying with the bead on the end. She muffled a yawn and burrowed her head deeper into the soft blue velvet of Thorin's tunic.

"But _I _get to choose the story and tell it however I want," Frerin protested, crossing his arms. Thorin narrowed his eyes slightly at his younger brother.

"Nothing too frightening though, Frerin. Amad isn't here for Dis to run to in the middle of the night," Thorin warned. Frerin's expression sobered and he nodded, before breaking out into a wide smile once more. He never could stay serious for long.

"Last one to the dessert bowl is a rotten egg!" Frerin laughed as he sped off into the direction of the private dining room in the royal chambers. Dis cried out in protest and accidentally pulled on Thorin's braid, hard, causing him to wince in pain.

"Thorin, go! Go, Thorin, go!" Dis demanded, shaking her brother's braids like the reigns on a pony. Thorin grumbled good-naturedly and after adjusting his sister in his arms, bolted down the hall after his brother, his siblings' laughter ringing in his ears.

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_I have assignments these days so sorry this chapter has to be short. I aim on making the next one longer though :) your reviews will be much appreciated!_


	4. Chapter 4

_For reference, the dwarfling is about 4-5 in human years._

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**Blue Eyes and a Golden Crown**

Thorin sighed as he gently lifted the heavy gold crown from his head, placing it on the low side table next to the throne. He had spent the entire day listening to the petitions of the people of Erebor – dwarves that wished to marry, those who had trade issues to resolve, as well as settling the occasional dispute between two very burly and very aggravated, not to mention_ loud_ dwarves. Drooping his shoulders, Thorin rubbed his fingers across his forehead in an attempt to dissipate the tension that had accumulated. He groaned as he felt the onset of a migraine and shut his eyes. The King under the mountain was only able to enjoy a few moments of sweet silence before a gentle pat on his knee startled him, his eyes flying open. A soft smile spread across his face as his gaze rested upon the little dwarfling that stood before him, the top of her head barely reaching his knee. The dwarfling smiled shyly up at the king and raised her arms. Thorin instantly placed her on his lap and held her close, placing a kiss on her rosy cheek. The child turned her large blue eyes to rest upon the king and grinned.

"What can I do for you today, my jewel?" Thorin asked, his eyes bright with warmth. The dwarfling snuggled further into his arms and buried her nose into the soft black fur of the king's navy robes, muffling her words.

"What was that, little one?"

"Hiding from Balin," the child repeated quietly. The expression on her face was one of pure innocence, yet a mischievous glint was apparent in her eyes. Thorin almost rolled his eyes_,_ that look was _much_ too familiar to him.

"And what lesson failed to fascinate your interest today, my dear?" Thorin asked, his voice tinged with amusement.

"Don't wanna learn my letters," the dwarfling pouted, eyebrows furrowing in a way that reminded Thorin how much she could resemble his younger nephew. "I want to hear stories about before and play with Mr Boggins!" The child gasped and stared earnestly up at the king, who recalled another time long ago when another blonde dwarling displayed an uncanny interest in history for their age. "Yesterday Mr Bilbo told me about the trolls! Did you really almost get squished into jelly, Gampa Thorin?"

Thorin opened his mouth to reply but was interrupted by a familiar voice. "Dísa! There you are!"

The blonde prince of Erebor strode into the hall, the golden light of the floor bouncing off the walls, causing his hair to appear as if it were made of flowing gold. His blue eyes, a trademark of the line of Durin, displayed his relief at seeing the child who was now bouncing on his uncle's knee. Fili nodded respectfully, smiling warmly at his uncle who returned the gesture, before straightening his shoulders and schooling his face into one that he hoped mimicked his uncle's commonly austere expression, or as he and Kili would call it, their uncle's "grumpy face."

"Dísa, this is the fourth time this month that you have run from your lessons with Master Balin," Fili said firmly.

"But letters are _boring!_" Dísa squawked, her big blue eyes wide and bottom lip jutting out.

Thorin suppressed a chuckle and glanced down at the little princess burrowed safely in his arms. The king shrugged and drew her in closer, "Let her be, lad," he said, looking down fondly at his grand-niece. "She is still but a wee one."

Fili rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, trying to maintain his stern façade. "You never said that about Kili and I," he protested.

"That's because both of you were miscreants and ran your mother and myself ragged _all_ day, _every_ day," Thorin retorted teasingly. Fili rolled his eyes once more and sighed, allowing a smirk to creep its way onto his face. Thorin absolutely doted on his grand-niece, which at first came as a mild surprise to both Fili and Kili, although not to Dis, for she knew just _how_ soft Thorin had been when both his nephews were younger.

Fili approached the throne and held out his arms, Dísa all but jumping into his embrace. Fili chuckled as he gathered her close and rubbed her tiny button nose against his own. "Come on, my princess, your mother is probably wondering where you are."

"Nála knows exactly where she goes, lad," Thorin said, "she is much sharper than you after all."

Dísa giggled loudly as Fili scoffed, exaggerating his reaction to the mock insult. His eyes narrowed. "You wound me, uncle," he sighed dramatically, grinning as his daughter's laughter sounded through his ears. His eyes filled with affection he ran a palm over her matching shoulder length blonde curls and placed a loud kiss on the crown of her head. He bounced the beaming princess in his arms and with another nod to his uncle, left the throne room.

Thorin watched them go with a proud smile, relaxing back into his throne. He closed his eyes and revelled in the pin drop silence of the golden hall once more before he heard a crash followed by colourful Khuzdul curses coming from outside the throne room. "Kili," Thorin sighed as he stood and shook his head, making his way over to where his nephew had undoubtedly knocked over yet another ancient decorative ornament. Sometimes, dwarves never did grow up.

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_Thank you for reading. Please review, I'd love to read your feedback!_

_FYI, there will be plenty of Durin family fluff in this story because well, BOTFA (especially the EE) has ruined me and the only therapy suitable is Durin bonding. The next chapter should feature some Uncle Kili as well :P_

_Also, the name I have chosen for Fili's wife, Nala, is inspired by ItalianHobbit in their story **"The Shadow of Suspicion."** It is very well written and has an incredibly unique plot; I highly recommend you check it out!  
However, the only thing my Nala and hers have in common is the **name.** Since Fili kind of resembles a lion (lion of Durin), I think Nala is the perfect name for his OFC pairing._

_If anyone has any requests or suggestions for future chapters, please don't hesitate to let me know!_


	5. Chapter 5

_Dísa is about 6-7 in human years._  
_Víli is about 6 months in human years._

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**A Royal Tea Party**

Kili yawned loudly as he hung up his bow and quiver of arrows in his bedroom, blinking owlishly as he eyed the soft mattress of the bed. The second prince of Erebor had been leading a hunting party for the last five days in order to stock up on meat for the upcoming Durin's Day feast. Kili rubbed his eyes and made to pour himself a refreshment when a soft knock sounded from the door to his chambers. He barely had time to gulp down his drink before the pitter-patter of tiny footsteps reached his ears. Kili breathed out a laugh and smiling, turned to await his young visitor.

A golden, curly head popped round from behind the chaise lounge in his chambers, blue eyes staring adoringly up at him. Kili grinned and with a growl, grabbed the squealing child and engulfed her in his arms, planting a loud sloppy kiss on her cheek. He sat them both down on the chaise lounge and gently pressed his forehead affectionately against hers. The little princess giggled before bringing her hands to rest on either side of Kili's face, her expression turning amusingly serious as she tried her best impression of an adult (or as Kili called it, her mini-imitation of his Uncle Thorin).

"Uncle Kili," Dísa began sternly, blue eyes fierce. "I have something really important to ask you."

Kili, taken aback slightly by the seriousness of her tone, furrowed his brow in concern. "What is it, my sunshine?" he said as he brushed wisps of blonde hair from her face.

Dísa broke into an easy smile. "Well, since Gampa Thorin's Durin's Day party is coming, I want to have my own party!"

Kili chuckled. "Alright then darling, you tell me when and where and I'll organise it all for my favourite niece," he winked.

Dísa frowned and shook her head. "No, Uncle Kili! You don't have to plan anything. You have to _come!_ The party starts _now!_"

Kili blinked, confused. "What…?"

More footsteps followed by soft babbling reached his ears.

"Dísa! Do not disturb your Uncle, he has just returned and must be tired. Let him rest, your tea party can wait for another time."

Dísa immediately pouted and swivelled in her Uncle's arms to face her mother. Nála, wife of Fili, smiled apologetically at Kili as she shifted the babbling infant in her arms. The little boy had wisps of blonde hair and bright blue eyes, and according to Dis and Thorin, was an exact replica of Fili when he had been a child. As a result, Víli II, son of Fili, also bore an uncanny resemblance to his namesake and grandfather, Víli I.

Nála, with her long dark hair of Durin's folk, large brown eyes framed by long dark lashes, porcelain skin, rosy cheeks, full lips and round youthful face, was considered to be a rare beauty in Erebor. Similar to Fili, she possessed a regal air about her, yet lived life with humility and grace. More importantly, she had wrapped Thorin around her finger, to the point where Thorin treated her as his own daughter more so than he treated Fili and Kili as his own blood, much to his nephews' surprise and amusement.

"It's alright, Nála," Kili smiled as he cradled Dísa and shuffled over to the other side of the chaise, gesturing for Nála to join them on the lounge. Nála smiled gratefully and adjusted baby Víli on her lap, the infant cooing as he munched on his tiny fist, and attempted to wipe the drool off in his mother's hair. Kili grabbed a napkin from the coffee table before him and quickly wiped off the drool from the baby's hands before he could entangle his sticky fingers into his poor mother's hair. Víli's gaze instantly fixed on his Uncle and he laughed gleefully, stretching his arms out to Kili as the prince gently took him into his arms and bounced each golden haired child on his knees.

Nála scrutinised Kili's face, her expression softening. "Kili," she said gently, "you look like you have not slept in days. You must rest."

Kili smiled and rolled his eyes. "You know, you can be worse than Fili and Amad and Uncle Thorin, sometimes," he said good naturedly. "I have been away from them for too long, I don't mind attending the tea party for my favourite princess." Dísa beamed.

Nála huffed and crossed her arms. "You spoil her too much. You spoil them _both_ too much," she retorted, the corner of her mouth turning upwards.

Kili grinned mischievously. "How else will I be the favourite Uncle if I don't spoil them both? It's my job!"

Nála laughed melodiously and tenderly smoothed over Kili's fringe from his forehead. "And we all love you for it, but please don't strain yourself Kili. I know your leg bothers you after too much excitement."

Kili sobered slightly and nodded, before turning his lips into a smirk, bowing his head, "as her highness commands!"

Nála swatted his arm and shook her head, sharing a loving smile with the cheeky dwarf. Kili and Nála had always gotten along well as children and Nála had become especially protective of him as an adult, almost as protective as she was over her own dwarflings. Perhaps it was her healer instincts, or motherhood that had exacerbated it, but Nála had always been a caring soul, much like Fili himself. The dwarves of Erebor agreed wholeheartedly that they had not seen such a perfect match in both beauty and character since the days of Thror himself. Kili recalled humorously that Fili's wedding feast was the first and last time he had ever seen his Uncle make an utter fool of himself in public by getting completely drunk (with joy, of course). A fact which Dis had taken great pleasure in bringing up as often as possible, despite her brother's grumbling.

A tiny fist punching Kili in the nose jostled him from his thoughts. Víli flailed his little arms and cried out, disgruntled that his uncle was no longer focussing his attention on him. Dísa began tugging on his (only) braid, earnestly pleading for him to come to her room and join her oh so magnificent tea party. _"The cakes are getting __cold,__ Uncle Kili! The dolls' ribbons must be falling out from waiting SO long!"_ Mildly alarmed at how to handle two overexcited children, he looked at his sister-in-law with barely concealed panic in his eyes. Nála giggled, taking pity on the poor dwarf prince and extracted Víli from his uncle's arms. Kili, with a groan to exaggerate his effort, stood and swung up his niece in a circle into his arms. Dísa crowed with joy and clamped her arms tightly around her uncle's neck. With a swift kiss to Nála's cheek and rubbing his nose tenderly with his little nephew's button one, Nála followed as Kili marched out of his chambers and down the hall, Dísa bouncing along in his arms.

It was a few hours later in the evening, when the candles were beginning to burn down and the dwarves of Erebor had headed off to their homes for supper, when Fili entered his family's quarters. He exchanged a weary yet fond smile with his wife who was busy trying to rock a wailing Víli to sleep. His gaze travelled around his chambers and he raised an eyebrow at the absence of a certain blonde princess. Nála tilted her head and understanding dawned on Fili's expression. He quietly left his chambers and walked to the next room down the corridor.

Fili opened the door and did not even attempt to hold back his laughter at the sight that greeted him. His daughter sat in her baby blue frock, pastel pink ribbons in her hair, at a small wooden dining set with a pink lace tablecloth laid over it. Around the table there were dolls and stuffed animals of various types placed in tiny wooden chairs. Empty gold rimmed tea sets complete with gold plated cutlery were neatly placed before each "guest." At the opposite end of the table, cramped comically in a wooden chair that was definitely_ much_ too small for its occupant, sat a mildly disgruntled Kili. Except it was not _just_ Kili, but Kili complete with pink ribbons tied as bows into this dark hair, a strand of pink pearls around his neck, holding a tiny tea cup delicately in his fingers, his pinky extended into the air, pretending to sip demurely on _very delicious_ tea.

Kili jumped at his brother's sudden laughter and turned beet red within seconds. Dísa gasped in surprised and ran to greet her father, who had all but collapsed in the doorway to her room. "Adad!" she cried excitedly, "you're finally home! Come join us!"

Fili instantly sobered. "What? Darling, I cannot -"

"Oh yes, what a fine idea, Princess," Kili smirked evilly. "Please, Crown Prince Fili, do join our _humble_ party."

Fili began to protest but his daughter was having none of it. With a "hmph" that sounded much too similar to his own mother, and with a remarkable amount of strength for her size, Dísa pulled him along and deposited him into the next available tiny chair next to his brother. Knees drawn up to his chest and practically crouching, Fili was forcefully handed a gold rimmed tea set and served some invisible cake.

"Eat," Dísa ordered sternly, handing him an equally tiny golden spoon. Fili grumbled and to his horror, felt his cheeks flare up as his brother cackled smugly beside him.

Nála had finally managed to put Víli to bed, when Dis and Thorin had walked past her quarters to have supper together. Noting the absence of her sons and granddaughter, Nála informed them they were most likely in Dísa's room. Dis had dragged Thorin along with her to investigate.

The sight they were greeted with was forever burned into Thorin's memory as he guffawed with laughter, tears leaking out from his eyes. Kili and Fili had turned a dangerous shade of red, cowering in their tiny wooden chairs, pink ribbons in both their hair. It was only when Dísa enthusiastically dragged her Gampa Thorin to join her party and shoved the props in his hands, with a _"wait Gampa Thorin, you need a bow in your braid!" _that Dis eventually lost all semblance of her composure.

Dis smiled wickedly. Oh, she was _never_ going to let the Durin boys forget this, _ever._

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_Reviews are greatly appreciated :) if you have any prompts/ideas please let me know!_


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait! Life has been extremely busy! :( finally had a short break today and managed to pump out a chapter for you guys. This is a fairly long chapter, possibly one of the longest I've written in a while! It's also a bit different to what I've written in the past in any of my stories on this site. I hope you enjoy it :) Your constructive criticism will be greatly appreciated!**

**Caution: Fili + Durin family feels ahead.**

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**Remembrance**

Fili was mentally, emotionally, and physically exhausted.

It began with the fact that the crown prince had barely slept the whole night. Much to his chagrin, his tossing and turning had disturbed his lady wife Nála's sleep as well. Although the princess certainly did not mind and tried her best to comfort him, Víli II was teething and the babe had wearied her all day. Fili on the other hand, had been restless all night with memories of another golden-haired dwarf that had once brought a smile to his family's face many years before. His mother had never truly recovered after the loss of Víli I in a mining accident in Ered Luin. Fili had been barely past the age of five, and his younger brother had only known his father for the first few months of his life. Fili knew that despite all the stories told to the younger prince, Kili could not remember his father's face, a fact that covertly made Kili quite upset.

In almost every way, Thorin had fathered the both of them. Fili could not forget the pain that crossed his mother's face when Kili, naught but a babe, had one day crawled over to Thorin and cried "Adad." Fili had been playing with his wooden soldiers nearby on a rug in front of the fireplace. He remembered the way Thorin froze, his gaze drifting towards Dis, filled with trepidation and shame. Dis had merely smiled tightly and Thorin had gently corrected his youngest nephew. However, Kili was still a babe that could not understand the sombreness the term invoked. There was no other word Kili was able to process in his mind as appropriate to address Thorin, despite Fili and Thorin's gentle rectifications. Over time, and taking note of everything his older brother said and did, Kili eventually began to copy his brother in saying "Uncle Thorin."

Fili never stated it out loud, but he saw the slight disappointment in his uncle's eyes the day Kili began to address him by the correct title. Fili loved his uncle dearly, and knew Thorin loved him as if he were his own as well. However, Fili had always noticed the bond between Kili and Thorin had always been a bit deeper, the affection given slightly more freely. Fili would dare not even mention such to his mother, but he knew that deep down, Thorin and Kili had a bond not of uncle and nephew, but of father and son. Fili did not blame either of them, for Kili never knew the dwarf who sired him. He had an inkling that his intelligent mother probably had noticed it at some point as well, yet it did not stop the little pang he felt in his heart once in a while at seeing his brother and uncle interact. The anniversary of his father's passing was one of these moments.

With dark circles rimming his eyes, Fili had risen at dawn and dressed silently. Nála had eventually fallen asleep in the early hours of the morning. Not wanting to rouse her from her slumber, Fili quietly left his family's chambers, walking equally as silent down the corridor towards his mother's chambers. On his way, he peeked into his younger brother's quarters to find him spread eagle on the bed, sound asleep. He would not wake Kili, for he knew his younger brother would rise after the sun was higher in the sky and go straight to their mother when he was ready. Kili may not have been able to remember his father's face, but he still respected, loved and dearly missed the dwarf he never knew yet had heard so much about. With a fond smile, Fili shut the door and continued down the hallway. Judging from the time, Fili knew the sun had just begun to rise, however he knew he would not be disturbing his mother at such an early hour. Dis could never sleep on the anniversary of Víli's passing.

The elder prince knocked on the door to his mother's quarters and without waiting for a response, entered and shut the door with a soft click behind him. Noticing glimmers of candlelight being emitted from the lounge area, Fili followed and found his mother hunched over on the sofa, tracing the border of an empty mug of tea in her hands. She lifted her red-rimmed eyes to meet the matching Durin-blue of her son's and nodded her head once. Fili smiled solemnly and moved to stoke the embers in the fireplace. He grabbed the blanket folded up neatly on an armchair and gently draped it over his mother. Dis curled up into the blanket and reached out a hand to Fili, who gently took it in his own and sat beside her on her right, leaning his golden head on her shoulder. Dis softly stroked her son's golden hair and Fili squeezed her hand each time he felt wetness fall on his forehead, and Dis squeezed back every time she heard a sniffle. Dis held her golden, living image of Víli in securely in her arms, kissing his forehead and smiling warmly as she remembered not all the gold she deemed precious had been lost.

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Dis and Fili were interrupted an hour later by the sound of the door to her chambers creaking open. Fili tilted his head and saw his uncle walk slowly into the room, pausing at the doorway. A bittersweet smile graced his lips as he observed his nephew and sister huddled together on the sofa. Dis returned her brother's smile sadly as the dwarf king trudged forward, his heavy footsteps echoing through the chambers. He hunched over and placed a hand affectionately at the back of Dis' crown of raven hair, kissing her brow and pressing their foreheads firmly together. Fili lay still with his face pressed into his mother's leg just above her knee, his chest tight as the royal siblings held onto each other in an embrace. Finally, Thorin stood and gently patted Fili on the shoulder, sinking down onto the sofa at Dis' left side, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pressing her closer to him. Dis continued to absently stroke Fili's hair, watching the candles gradually burn down as the hands on the clock continued to tick.

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Thorin had remained with Dis and Fili for a couple of hours before duty beckoned. The king had just pulled Dis into a comforting hug of farewell as Kili entered his mother's quarters, the usually exuberant prince now the picture of seriousness. Fili gently lifted his head from his mother's lap and discreetly wiped his face, forcing a half-hearted smile in his brother's direction. Kili returned the gesture and nodded once in greeting to Thorin before sweeping his mother up into his arms, gracing her with a bone-crushing hug. All the dwarves couldn't help but chuckle, glad that Kili would always be Kili and help raise their spirits. Kili grinned, his eyes suspiciously damp, and buried his nose into his mother's neck, holding her tightly, before pulling back and babbling at a mile a minute while keeping his voice respectfully low. Fili watched fondly as his mother's countenance brightened almost instantly, and Thorin squeezed Kili's shoulder and then Fili's before exiting Dis' chambers. He chuckled to himself – his sister was in good hands.

Nála later joined the three Durins in Dis' chambers, calmly ordering her children to be extra nice to their grandmother. Dis' laughter eventually returned at Dísa and baby Víli's antics. The peaceful mood ceased as guards knocked urgently on the doors. Concerned, Kili answered it and the guards entered the room, bowing respectfully. Seeing the look in their eyes, Kili urged them to speak.

"My lord, there has been a cave-in in the mines."

Dis gasped and dread filled her heart. Fili reached out to grip his mother, his hands trembling as a sense of déjà vu washed over him. Kili's mind also reeled with shock, however he squared his shoulders and asked for more information.

"There is one another complication, my lord…" the dwarf guard continued nervously, fidgeting with his axe. "The King was to inspect the mines this morning and no one has seen him since."

Dis cried out and Fili felt as if he could not breathe. His world was spinning as he vaguely felt Nála lead both himself and his mother to sit down. The dwarflings began to whimper in fear at seeing the adult's distress. Kili began breathing heavily as he pulled on his coat. Fili kissed his mother's cheek and he looked her in the eye. _I will find him and bring him back._ Dis merely sobbed once and gripped his hands for dear life before letting go.

"Go, I will stay with her," Nála soothed as she wrapped an arm around Dis and the other around her children. Fili felt immense gratitude once more for the strength his One possessed. She remained composed on the outside, yet her eyes pleaded desperately. _Find him._

Knowing his mother would be well looked after, Fili gave a small smile of appreciation to her as he felt Kili take his arm, leading him out the door.

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Both princes worked tirelessly with their army throughout the afternoon and evening in an attempt to rescue the dwarves buried beneath the collapsed debris of the mine. Erebor had several, however, this particular mine was deeper in the mountain. Each time they found a dwarf alive, the princes felt a mixture of joy and to their guilt, slight disappointment at not yet finding their uncle. Every time they pulled a dwarf from the rubble, as a dwarf healer checked their pulse and shook their head in sorrow, both princes again felt grief, as well as mixture of fear and hope. Fear, that their uncle had met the same fate that had taken the life of Víli I on that exact day many years before. Hope, that perhaps their beloved uncle and king lived. Fili and Kili both had their sleeves rolled up, careless of the dirt and grime that now marred their princely attire. They worked shoulder to shoulder, joined by Dwalin, who was beginning to get agitated at the fact that Thorin was still missing. Balin, ever steady Balin, was the force of calm that kept them going with a relatively level head (especially useful in the case of Dwalin and Kili).

A rumble sounded from further within the collapsed mine and both princes froze. Fili felt the blood draining rapidly from his face, praying and begging that another disaster would not occur further in the mine. _Thorin is still in there!_ His mind was screaming in panic and he felt Kili gripping his forearm so tightly he thought his blood would stop circulating.

The rumbling stopped and nothing but a deafening silence filled the mine. Fili felt fear seize his heart, the cold hands of grief creeping its way around his mind like a snake upon its prey. _No, no, no, no, no._ He shook his head slowly in denial and heard Kili panting and trembling beside him. He had already lost his father; he could _not_ have lost the next closest thing to a father he had ever had! His mother would be devastated and this time, would probably be unable to recover. Kili. _Oh dearest Kili._ Thorin, for the most part, _was_ his father, the only one he had ever known. Fili knew his brother would be shattered beyond repair.

Dwalin was yelling something beside him, growling out orders as other dwarves sprang back into action. Fili briefly allowed his eyes to close helplessly, before opening them again, this time filled with determination. _No._ He could not believe Thorin was – not until he had found proof. He hung onto a thinning thread of hope that somehow, somewhere, Thorin lived.

Fili rushed forward, resolute, and began shifting more debris in the hope of finding more survivors. He felt Kili's presence behind him, and from the corner of his eye could see the brunette had been weeping silently. Fili felt his heart tearing itself apart. Then, with even a greater sense of stubbornness, Fili increased his pace almost frantically. _He is alive. Thorin is alive. He is alive, Thorin is alive. Please, Uncle, live. Don't leave us. Don't leave me. He is alive, Thorin is alive…_

"MAKE WAY FOR THE KING!" Dwalin bellowed as a raven head emerged, matted with dirt, filled Fili's vision as he grabbed desperately at the dwarf. Kicking the remaining debris out of the way, Fili clung onto Thorin as he heaved him up and out of the rubble. Thorin coughed, blinking disoriented at his surroundings. Kili grabbed onto Thorin's other side and flung his arm over his shoulder, shaking and sobbing in relief. Fili could feel his entire body trembling as he breathed in the familiar scent of his uncle, marred by the scent of dust. Balin and Oin hurried over to begin their assessment and treatment of their king.

"Are there any more in there, Thorin?" Balin asked as he patted his friend's back as Thorin coughed heavily.

Thorin cleared his throat and nodded briefly. "At least thirty more dwarrow," he replied, his voice hoarse. Fili and Kili continued to cling desperately at each side.

"Alive?" Balin asked hesitantly.

"Mostly," Thorin responded quietly after a moment passed.

Dwalin, who had been standing nearby, nodded at Thorin before narrowing his eyes at Fili, his gaze softening slightly. "Come on lad, up ye get," he said gruffly, yet with an undertone of comfort. Fili took his offered hand and hauled himself up, still somewhat dazed.

"Come, Kili," Fili said, glancing down at his brother who still clung to his uncle. Kili raised his tear-filled eyes and sniffed, looking at his uncle. With a few more words of encouragement from his brother, Kili reluctantly rose and followed his brother to help assist the rescue of the remaining dwarves.

Thorin coughed again and watched his nephews with both appreciation and immeasurable pride. A smile tugged on his lips as he watched them both hustle to help their fellow dwarrow. His heart almost burst with joy at seeing how Fili conducted himself and commanded others, whilst simultaneously keeping an eye on his brother. _He will make a fine king one day._ Thorin mused. _A very fine king, indeed._

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To say that Princess Dis was relieved when she saw Thorin and her sons enter her chambers would be an enormous understatement. Dis almost bowled the dwarf king over in her hurry to meet him, throwing her arms around his shoulders and openly sobbing. Thorin held her close in his arms, murmuring into her ear. After a while, Dis eventually relinquished her grasp and allowed her brother to wipe away her tears. "I'm sorry, Dissy," Thorin apologised, using her childhood nickname.

Dis began to tear up once more and slapped his shoulder before pulling him close again. "Don't you _ever,_ even _dare,_ do that to me again, Thorin Oakenshield," she hissed dangerously, eyes flashing as she controlled her weeping. Thorin's shoulders shrunk faintly and he nodded seriously. Finally, she sniffled and composed herself once more, looking every inch a Queen of Durin's line, Thorin thought proudly to himself.

Dis then embraced her sons fiercely and knocked their heads together tenderly. Kili had grinned at her before moving on to embrace his uncle in sheer relief. Fili on the other hand, buried his face into her shoulder and struggled to control his emotions.

"My dear boy," Dis whispered, running a hand over his head and beamed at him. Fili returned it with a shaky grin, before also moving on to embrace his uncle. However, as soon as he felt Thorin's strong arms, fatigued from his ordeal in the mines, Fili broke down. He wrapped his arms around his uncle's waist as tight as he was able and struggled to keep his weeping quiet. He felt Kili wrap an arm around his shoulders and huddle into the embrace. Thorin returned the embrace just as fiercely as the Durins allowed themselves a moment of solace in each other's arms, with the knowledge that Thorin was safe. _He is alive._ Fili reminded himself as he attempted to reign in his breathing. _He is alive. History did not repeat itself on this day. I will not allow it to happen so again. He is alive, Thorin is alive…_

Thorin pressed his forehead lovingly to each nephew and whispered, his voice still hoarse, "Thank you. I am so proud. So very, very proud." He drew back and smiled warmly at each nephew, clasping their forearms in a warrior's embrace. Fili and Kili grinned and returned the gesture, the joy radiating from both their eyes.

Nála meanwhile, had stood by the fireplace watching the touching scene before her. She dried her eyes and laughed in reprieve, beaming back at Thorin who grinned as he opened his arms for her, allowing her to throw her arms around him as he wrapped his around her waist. Fili watched fondly as Kili chuckled and rolled his eyes. Everyone knew about Thorin's infamous soft-spot for the crown princess of Erebor. Kili often joked that if Fili had not wed her, Thorin probably would have adopted her himself anyway.

Thorin eventually took leave to bathe and retire for the night. He would sleep in the spare room in Dis' chambers that night, for Dis was not ready to let him out of her sight just yet. Kili, deciding he also did not wish to be alone, retired on the chaise lounge in Fili's quarters.

Fili and Nála entered their bedroom after checking that both their children were indeed fast asleep, the hour was late after all. Nála smiled sadly and wrapped her arms comfortingly around Fili as he sighed, burying his nose into her hair and clutching her to him. The prince swayed on his feet and the princess regarded at him sympathetically. She brushed a lock of blonde hair behind his ear and tugged gently on one of his braids. "Rest, Fili," she hushed as they lay down and felt her arm wrap around his stomach from behind. The prince felt his eyes droop heavily as he felt himself succumbing to his exhaustion from the day. Just before his mind drifted into unconsciousness, he heard a distant, familiar, warm and loving voice fill his mind.

_Well done, my lad. Well done._

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**Thank you for reading! Kindly drop in a review, I'd love to know what you think :) **


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: Heyy… guess who's back? Apologies for the delay, university life is very stressful and busy! This chapter is kind of AU, in this Fili and Kili have a younger sister. This character won't always feature as a permanent part of this story, sometimes she may exist, other times she might not. Hence why these are all one-shots haha :P hope you enjoy!**

**As always, reviews are greatly appreciated :) please feel free to leave suggestions/requests if you have any ideas for future chapters!**

_Ages: Fili 10, Kili 8, Siggy 4/5._

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**Princess of Erebor**

It was too quiet.

The children of Dis were _never_ this quiet. Concerned, Thorin placed his book down on the sofa and rose to his feet. He paused when he heard gentle humming from down the hall. Smiling, the crownless dwarf king rose to his feet and made his way down the corridor towards a small room with a pink bow tied around the door knob. Thorin silently pushed the door open slightly to peek into the room, grinning as he watched the little dwarfling hum as she coloured in shapes on a piece of parchment. Her shoulder length raven locks had come loose of their blue ribbons, which had fallen to the floor beside her seat. The little girl stuck her tongue out slightly up towards the tip of her sharp nose, blue eyes framed by thick dark lashes focused intently as she furrowed her brow and concentrated on colouring between the lines of what appeared to be a circle representing the sun.

Still grinning, the young dwarf king rapped his knuckles lightly on the door frame. The dwarfling gasped and swivelled in her seat, lighting up as he spotted her uncle in the doorway.

"Uncle Thorin!" the child cried excitedly as she ran up to her uncle. Thorin entered the room and placed his large hand tenderly atop his niece's head as she beamed up at him.

"What were you so focused on, my little jewel?" Thorin asked, his eyes and lips smiling as the dwarfling's eyes sparkled.

"Look, I drew a picture!" the little princess exclaimed, shoving the parchment into Thorin's hands as he knelt on the floor and hitched the child up on his knee, keeping palm around her waist lest the child topple over.

Thorin chuckled deeply and placed a loud, affectionate kiss on his niece's rosy, chubby cheek. The child giggled as her uncle regarded the picture once more. In the top left corner she had drawn the sun, followed by six stick figures standing amongst green lines which Thorin presumed had to be grass. Two stick figures stood together holding hands, one with a blonde hair and beard, the other with long raven hair. Two smaller stick figures stood next to them, the blonde carried a toy sword and the dark haired figure carried a small bow and arrow. Finally, a third tiny, raven haired stick figure wearing a blue dress held the hand of a larger stick figure with matching raven hair and a large gold crown upon his head. The artist's name had been scribbled down in the bottom right hand corner, the shaky runes spelling "Sigdis."

"It is a very fine picture, love," Thorin praised as he cuddled the beaming child closer to him. His brow suddenly creased as he frowned. "Where are your brothers?"

The little princess sighed as she toyed with the bead at the end of the braid coming down from Thorin's right temple. "They were playing chess and Fee won and then Kee got mad and punched Fee and then Fee tackled Kee and then they wrestled and then -" she inhaled deeply before continuing rapidly, "- then Kee got tired and Fee let him win and then they got sleepy."

Thorin followed her tiny pointed finger towards the other end of the room where among a pile of pillows, quilts and stuffed toys, his little nephews had passed out and were drooling on one another. The little princess stifled a yawn and dropped her head to rest on her uncle's broad shoulder. Swinging his niece up into his arms, Thorin cradled her gently as he paced back and forth and soothingly rubbed his balm around her back, lulling the child to sleep within minutes.

It was later that afternoon when Dis returned home from the market and found her two sons curled up together amongst their scattered bedding. Her heart melted when her gaze landed on her older brother sprawled on the floor, head titled back resting against the wall, cuddling her daughter in his arms. A sad smile graced her lips as Dis spotted the childish family drawing featuring her late husband Vili. Closing the door behind her quietly, Dis didn't have the heart to wake up her little family of troublemakers until it was time for dinner.

xxxxxxx

"Uncle Thorin?"

Thorin started from his dozing in his armchair and snapped his eyes to the doorway of his private study. The flames in the fireplace had died down earlier in the evening, causing the room to be almost pitch black. Thorin reached forward to stoke the fireplace, thus lighting up the room once more. He rubbed his eyes wearily and smiled at his niece, who dressed in her nightgown and hair tumbling down her shoulders, came to sit cross-legged in front of him. She turned to peek cheekily over her shoulder and handed two sapphire beads to the king of Erebor. She placed the beads as well as a golden comb into his palm and turned her back to him. Thorin chuckled and began to comb her hair before parting it into two sections to braid it from the temples all the way down. His ministrations caused the princess' eyes to flutter close as she hummed quietly. Thorin smiled, nostalgic, as he reminisced the countless times he been placed in the same position when it came to braiding his niece's hair throughout the years. "Why are you not asleep at his hour, Siggy?"

Sigdis opened her eyes and sighed, yet she did not reply. Thorin paused and his shoulders stiffened. "Have you been having bad dreams again?" he asked softly.

Sigdis slumped over and hesitantly, nodded in affirmation. Thorin's expression sobered and he shook his head despondently. He knew he should not have brought his niece along with himself and his nephews on the quest to reclaim Erebor, but Sigdis could not be swayed. Barely of age, Dis had given him hell when she had discovered her brother's intentions to allow her innocent daughter on such a dangerous mission, especially since she was a healer and not an expertly trained warrior like her brothers. The hardships faced along the journey, Thorin's temporary albeit disturbing descent into gold sickness, as well as the final battle in which the all three male heirs of Durin almost perished, were enough to inflict trauma upon even the toughest of souls. Although all three Durin dwarves had been injured significantly, the sheer severity of Thorin and Fili's wounds had shaken both Siggy and Kili to their core. Whilst the rebuilding of Erebor and settlement between the neighbouring kingdoms were relatively successful distractions, the Durins eagerly awaited the arrival of Dis, the only one who could truly sooth their hearts and minds.

"I am sorry, love…"

Siggy turned and caught his hand, shaking her head defiantly. "It is _not_ your fault, Uncle," she said sternly, "_please_ stop blaming yourself. I cannot bear the pain, not my own nor the suffering of those whom I care for greatly."

Thorin clasped the beads around the ends of her braids and glanced up at her round, youthful face. Fondly cupping her cheek in his palm, he leaned forward to place a chaste kiss on the crown of her head. Siggy smiled up at him and allowed herself to be cradled in his embrace, burying her nose into the fur of his coat. Thorin rested his chin atop her head and soothingly rocked her back and forth as if she was once more a dwarfling. It was this peaceful state in which Fili and Kili found their uncle and sister in the next morning, and neither had the heart to wake them from their contented slumber.


	8. Chapter 8

**A bit short, nevertheless I hope you enjoy :)**

**Also I'm running out of ideas at the moment for this story. So please send me your requests for chapter ideas!**

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**A Royal Performance**

Thorin Oakenshield, King Under the Mountain, had spent another long and weary day ruling his kingdom. He had bathed and scrubbed up hurriedly as he had been running late for the dinner hosted by Princess Dis in the private quarters of the Durin family. After a satisfying meal and relatively quiet time in each other's company, the direct descendants of Durin loosened their belts and lounged in their chairs at the dining table, partaking in pleasant conversation.

The moment was interrupted by the screeching of a chair being dragged against the floor and the huffing and puffing of a child. The child cleared her throat and brushed her blonde curls from her cherubic face.

"Ahem! Excuse me! May I have your att-attention please?" the little girl announced. Curious, Thorin, Dis, Kili, Fili and Nala turned to face the dwarfling, who grinned once she noticed the grown-ups focusing on her.

"Tonight I have a performance, feet-featuring the one, the only, Prince Baby Vili!" the young Princess Disa drum rolled on the seat of the chair before picking up her baby brother from beneath the dining table and setting him on top of the seat. Vili gurgled happily and gave everyone a wide, toothless smile.

Kili snorted loudly in amusement, and then quickly attempted to cover up his blunder by pretending to cough into his napkin. Fili sniggered at the brief glare his daughter gave his younger brother. Nala gently slapped Fili's shoulder and whispered for him to behave. Dis rolled her eyes. Thorin sighed, his eyes crinkling as he smirked.

Before anyone could utter a word to ask what the performance would entail, Disa swept up a red, fur lined velvet cloak over her shoulders, much to everyone's bemusement ("where did she get that from?") and placed a similar blue one over her little brother's, adjusting a paper crown on his head. Vili reached up to grab his crown ("no, Vili, that is not for eating!") as his big sister proceeded to enact a fairy tale, her sweet childish voice turning hilariously serious as she narrated the dilemma of a princess lost in the woods, with nothing but a wolf dressed as a baby to try and eat her ("Vili, oww you're not meant to _really_ bite me!")

Before long, the performance had come to an end, and the young princess bowed deeply as Vili and the adults clapped. Kili gave a whoop which made Vili clasp his hands over his ears and begin to bawl, ("honestly, Kee, when will you ever grow up brother?" followed by an "oops, sorry Fee.")

The evening eventually resulted in the family huddled in armchairs and sofas in front of the fireplace. Disa, tired out from her activity, had fallen asleep in her Uncle Kili's arms and had began to drool on his vest. Baby Vili, having been sneaked an extra few sweets by Disa, was tumbling and clambering all over his adad, Fili. Nala sat beside Dis as they sipped on tea and giggled at whatever ladies-talk they were indulged in. Thorin smoked his pipe as he watched over his family and smiled. _This_, he mused as he watched his nephews laugh, his sister smile and his niece sigh in contentment, was the reason why he set out on a mad quest to reclaim Erebor. _Home._


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